Eugene Jaworski

01/18/1941 - 11/07/2025

Eugene Jaworski, a devoted husband and father, of Ypsilanti Township, passed away in the early hours of November 7th, 2025, after a brave fight with heart and kidney disease. His wife Nancy, daughter Lynn, her husband Jeff and their daughter Rebecca were with him.
Eugene was born at home on January 18th, 1941, to John and Rose (Westphal) Jaworski in Pulaski, Wisconsin. He was twelfth of sixteen children born to John and Rose Jaworski and is survived by three brothers, Norbert (Carol), Matthew (Carol) and Ron (Kathy) Jaworski and sister Elaine (Norbert) VerHaagh. After Gene graduated from Pulaski High School in 1959, he enlisted in the army in September, where he served one year in California and two years in France, working with the missile battalion and in The Army Corps of Engineers as a battalion clerk. After being honorably discharged in 1962, he studied Geography and Geology at The University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science Degrees. During his years in Madison, he met and later married his wife and dearest love, Nancy Jo Loeffelholz, while they both were working at the Children's Psychiatric Ward of the Wisconsin Diagnostic Center/UW.
After earning his master's degree, Gene continued his education at Louisiana State University (LSU), received his PhD, and became interested in the swamps and marshes of the Mississippi River delta and the Blue Crab. He spent one year teaching at Texas A & M University before accepting a position as a professor at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He was a professor at EMU for 35 years (1971 – 2006), teaching Earth Science, Geography/Geology, Aerial Photography, Soils, GIS and Remote Sensing, and Environmental Impact Studies. He was known for his experience in the Great Lakes region, particularly the Great Lakes shorelines and the environmental importance of wetlands. In the 1980s, he started his own wetland consulting business: J & L Consulting Services. Gene was CEO of J & L Consulting, providing wetland consultation for private individuals, developers and engineering firms. He served many local municipalities as their in-house wetland consultant including Southfield, Okemos, West Bloomfield and Oakland County. He worked very closely with the MDNR (MDEQ), the EPA, ERIM, ERTAS and the Huron River, Paint Creek & Raisin River Watershed Councils.
Eugene and Nancy married in 1966 and went on to have four children, Lynn Mick (Jeff), Lisa Ridha (Ed), Sara Kliewer (Kurt) and Greg Jaworski (Tiffany). He is survived by his wife, children and 10 grandchildren (Brian, Meagan, Daniel, Rebecca, Jacob, Skye, Heather, Kolbey, Ezekiel and Ruby) and one great-grand child (Isaac).
Eugene's passions were protecting the earth's water system and environment, his family, gardening, and the Green Bay Packers! He had a love of urging people to care about the environment, our lakes, rivers and watershed. Gene had numerous publications to his name and authored textbooks utilized at Eastern Michigan University. He loved to visit his children living out of state (Sara and Greg), give a helping hand at Greg's restaurant Nosh, and take excursions with Nancy. Gene never met a stranger. He would talk with and quiz every person he encountered, querying about their profession, education and politics.
Eugene was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He will be greatly missed.